Hermosa Beach refunds Short Term Vacation Rental fine, but maintains Coastal Zone ban
by Kevin Cody The City of Hermosa Beach has refunded a $5,500 fine issued to the owner of the 28 unit Vurpillat residential building on The Strand cited for violating the city’s ban on short term vacation rentals (STVRs) in residential zones. The refund was issue after administrative hearing officer Steve Napolitano ruled the “City’s prohibition of STVRs in the Coastal Zone is invalid….” The Coastal Zone is property west of The Greenbelt, representing about half of the 1.4 square mile city. Napolitano based his ruling on the city’s failure to obtain approval for the ban from the Coastal Commission. Napolitano is an attorney retained by the City to preside over administrative citation appeals. He is also a Manhattan Beach City Councilmember and a judicial candidate on the November general election ballot for Los Angeles County Superior Court, seat 39. Attorney Frank Angel, who represented Vurpillat owner Jay Mitchell, described the ruling as “far reaching.” Angel noted that last week another Strand resident who appealed a STVR fine was issued a refund. Hermosa Beach Community Development Director Carrie Tai disagreed. In response to a request for an interview about the ruling, she…
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